Building Green

Steel. Green building friendly.

Steel is ideal for meeting the highest levels of sustainability.

Steel is recognized in all major green standards and rating programs, including the National Green Building Standard for residential buildings, ASHRAE Standard for commercial construction, and the US Green Building Council’s LEED certifications. More than 82 million tons of steel were recycled in the US in 2008 – more than aluminum, glass and paper combined.

Green codes and standards also recognize the excellent potential of steel at reducing construction waste. This is a result of steel buildings using pre-engineered parts for assembly, so we only order what we need. Steel framing results in approximately 2% unused material, compared to about 20% being wasted when using wood.

Steel Loves Recycling

Every piece of steel we use contains recycled content. Steel is easily reclaimed and made into new, high-quality products. The steel industry has also reduced the energy used to produce steel by approximately 1/3, and more than 95% of the water used in the steel making process is recycled. That water is often returned even cleaner than when it was taken from the source.

Green By Nature

Steel is durable, safe, and strong. It is not susceptible to rot, termites, or mold, and modern steel framing can last over a thousand years.

Steel structures also require less material to carry the same load as those made with concrete, masonry or wood.

Additionally, steel isn’t affected by conditions like humidity, so drywall, plaster, roofs and other building elements won’t crack or shift the way they do when using materials like wood.